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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Comm Minutes 10/2/2012Mansfield School Committee Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, October 2, 2012 Town Hall, Room 313 & C An Open Meeting of the Mansfield School Committee was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday, October 2, 2012. After returning from Executive Session the Open Session meeting was reopened and called to order by Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge at 7:40 PM. Motion U.C. 5-0 Members Present — roll call vote to re -oven the Oven Meeting; Mr. Michael Trowbridge, Chairman; yes Mrs. Kiera O'Neil, Vice Chairman; yes Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz yes Mrs. Jean Miller, yes Mr. Wayne Smith, Jr. yes Also Present: Mrs. Brenda Hodges, Superintendent of Schools Mr. Edward Vozzella, Director of Finance CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED None SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Personnel Elks Club — Presentation of Flay Mrs. Hodges noted that the Elks were going to present the district a new flag to replace an old one. Many thanks to the Elks club. MHS Principal, Michael Connolly, introduced Miss Rashmi Koul as the new student representative to the School Committee. APPROVAL OF WARRANTS Goods & Services 2013 -1006 09/04/2012 $ 267,749.39 Salary & Wages 2013 -6 09/14/2012 $1,400,487.39 Goods & Services 2013 -1008 09/18/2012 $ 492,017.45 Salary & Wages 2013 -7 09/28/2012 $ 1,467,490.67 — 1 — Chairman Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to approve the warrants. A motion was made to approve the warrants ist by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, 2nd by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Executive Session Minutes of September 11, 2012, were approved as amended. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to approve the Executive Session minutes of September 11, 2012. A motion was made to approve the minutes ist by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, 2nd by Mrs. Jean Miller. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 School Committee Minutes of September 11, 2012, were tabled. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to table the Open Session minutes of September 1, 2012. A motion was made to table the minutes I" by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 OLD BUSINESS Budget Mr. Vozzella informed the School Committee that there were no new updates on the FY 12 budget. The quarter has just ended and will finish the quarterly update will be sent to you Friday. In terms of next year's budget, we are beginning the subcommittee meeting on Thursday and we will send out the Budget templates the week after next and begin our budget in earnest. Mr. Vozzella noted that he and Mrs. Hodges will go over the Budget Process letter that we had with a timeline and have that ready for your Friday report. Mrs. O'Neil asked Mr. Vozzella if he had a different strategy this year or different ways of looking at the budget since we already know we had such a tight year last year, I was hoping the this year we would start to look at it differently. Mr. Vozzella asked what Mrs. O'Neil had in mind. Mrs. O'Neil said that we usually look at what we were doing and what we need to add on, what are the changes, do we need to look at it from a building to building from zero up. Mr. Vozzella stated that we do a zero based budget at each building and that won't change. One of the things that Mrs. Hodges and He had talked about was in the past we did a split budget, a level service budget and then we have enhancements or needs as a separate piece. This year we have so many mandates that are required by the state, they really not add on's as we have looked at them in the past but now need to be embedded in the document. You will see a budget this year that has additions that we need just to accomplish the school improvement plans that will tie into the long range plan and the district plan, so we won't be breaking it out this year. Mr. Trowbridge asked if they could still have the note of explanation next to items like before and Mr. Vozzella reassured him he would. Mr. Trowbridge did state that all the news we have heard this year keeps getting better. Let's hope the states concerned that our new growth is higher than expected. Mrs. Hodges noted —2— that all the mandates have a cost associated with it. When we hear the MCAS Presentation you will see that we did very well but you will also see that the state has taken a different approach and now to be successful the real emphasis by the state is on the high needs category of students Subcommittee Update The next meeting with the Budget subcommittee will be on Thursday. Mrs. O'Neil asked if there had been any more talk about the sharing or resource sharing with the town. Mr. Trowbridge did say that the bottom line was where we can share resources possible in the human resources and building and grounds, but the overall consensus on both sides is that we are all short on staff and the savings was small money. The idea is how do we enhance the revenue coming into town other than saving $40,000 on staff. Strategic Plan Update Mrs. Hodges had a conversation with the Town Manager and he was working on a Press Release to let the public know we were going to bring our oversight committee together, so that should be happening soon. Mr. Trowbridge was pleased and noted that it had been pretty stagnate since May. MHS Phone Update Mrs. Hodges updated the Committee on the progress of the MHS phones. We all met last week with town and school representatives to begin the process between school and town to bring a voice over IP system. This will mean we will have a consultant come in and go over I needs and put it out to bid. Currently, Lori Letendre and Mr. Doug Collette, a Mansfield resident knowledgeable in this system, helped us along with a patch for the system and it appears to be holding so far. The number one priority right, and has been for over a year now, is to get the new phone system for the high school. 2012 MCAS Presentation Mrs. Hodges first updated the Committee regarding the DESE granting the appeal to Mansfield, changing our status from Level 3 to Level 2 as a result of MCAS scores. As a brief overview, the State categorizes the towns according to the results of their MCAS tests, 1 being the highest to 5 being the lowest. Mr. Trowbridge asked Mrs. Hodges to please explain what this was really about and how just one student caused us to be categorized as a number 3. Mrs. Hodges explained that it is the schools receive this rating, based upon MCAS performance, and now, MCAS participation at the high school level as well. In order to be categorized as a Level l /or 2 district, MCAS participation ( must be above 90 %. Mansfield had 89% participation in the low income sub group in mathematics at the high school. This sub group consisted of 45 students, with 40 students taking the test. Superintendent Hodges appealed to DESE, regarding one student that was unable to take the test. With the successful granting of the waiver, the district is now categorized as a Level 2. The top 80% of schools performance 13— in the state. Mrs. Hodges emphasized to the School Committee that with the new DESE formula, one student can truly be the difference in a Level 2 and Level 3 classification. Level 3 is classified as being in the bottom 20% of student performance in the state. Mr. Trowbridge was thrilled at the MCAS results, do we need improvement, yes, but we did very well and exceptional well among our neighboring towns. The 2012 MCAS results were presented to the School Committee by Department Chairs, Christine Kalinowski, Cindi Carli and Janet Hogan and the Principals from the JJ, Teresa Murphy and Kathy Podesky. Additional information was given regarding student growth and the interpretation of this data. The MCAS Presentation will be on the website. District / Superintendent Goals Mrs. Hodges is working with the principals to form the Smart Goals. The Superintendent, Principal and teacher evaluations are going to all be tied closely together with the new Smart Goals. I will be bringing my goals to you and as Mr. Trowbridge and I have discussed, I will be working with the leadership and meeting the guidelines and bringing them to you and sit down with you with the principals and myself and also have training with the MASC to help you have better information regarding the Superintendent Evaluation and the Principal Evaluations will be similar. We continue to move forward with the Teacher Evaluation Model and it really needs to be all tied together. Mrs. O'Neil asked for a timeline for the goals and Mrs. Hodges stated that they do have the goals and we can certainly begin to put some dates to meet out there. School Physician / Medication Policy It was the recommendation of the Superintendent to renew the appointment of Dr. Karen Halle, M.D. to the position of School Physician. Dr. Halle has been our School Physician for the past 11 years and has provided excellent service for the Mansfield Public Schools. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to reapprove Dr. Halle as district school physician. A motion was made to approve Dr. Halle as the district physician 1s` by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 The School Committee reapproved the current medication policy. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to reapprove the medication policy. A motion was made to approve the Medication Policy 0 by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz . Motion U.C. 5 - 0 District Policy Updates /Additions / Removals The following District Policy changes were brought forward by the School Committee District Policy Sub Committee. The School Committee approved the new changes at the October 2, 2o12 School Committee Meeting. 14— New Policies: Poll cv Motioned by: IHBAA JM / LL JBA JM/LL Undated Policies: Subject Observation of SPED Programs Student to Student Harassment Vote 5 -0 aul Poli cv Motioned by: Subject Vote AC JM /LL Non discrimination 5-0 ACA JM /LL Non discrimination on the 5-0 basis of sex EB TABLED GCBB JM /LL Employment of Principal 5-0 IJ WILL Instructional Materials 5-0 JB JM/LL Equal Educational Opportunities 5-0 JFBB -1 TABLED JIE JM/LL Pregnant Students 5-0 JLC TABLED GCF JM / LL Professional Staff Hiring 5-0 School Committee Correspondence Discussion The Committee discussed the issue of what correspondence to read at the meetings. Mrs. O'Neil wanted to know what should be read, what not to read and what action should be taken. Mrs. Losiewicz stated it was up to the Chairman to decide what is read. Mrs. O'Neil wanted to know the guidelines and do we read all of them or do they decide as a committee. Mrs. Losiewicz did state that we needed to use discretion and that there is no blanket statement. Mr. Trowbridge noted that the correspondence needs to be related to School Committee issues, budget and policy. Mrs. Hodges maintained that discretion is a must and that it could prove embarrassing to students or other parents to read certain correspondence. Mr. Trowbridge did say that it is not required by law to read correspondence. Mrs. Losiewicz asked if they could leave correspondence off the agenda and only add it when there is something to read. This way it does give some flexibility. The Correspondence will be taken off the agenda. Facilities / Field User Fees This topic was moved to the beginning of the meeting. Mr. Bob LaConte was present to answer any questions the Committee may have. The updated user fees for the Mansfield Public Schools facilities & -5- fields were presented and brought forward for approval. The Committee wanted the verbiage changed in Tier 1 — School related- no fee — to coincide with the wording in the handbook. There was discussion that the concession stand be put out to bid. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to set and approve the rates for the Facilities / Field User Fees. A motion was made for the approval of rates I" by Mrs. Jean Miller 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz . Motion U.C. 4 — 0 -1 Mr. Wayne Smith, Jr. was opposed. QMS Field 1 rin to Providence — Trinity Rep A request for a field trip to the Trinity Rep Theater was requested by the grade 8 English Department. An ample number of adult chaperones have volunteered to accompany the trip. Students will pay for the cost of the ticket to view A Christmas Carol. The Superintendent recommended the approval of this trip. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to approve the QMS field trip to the Trinity Rep. A motion was made to approve the field trip is by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, 2nd by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 Field Trip Approvals if needed None CITIZENS COMMENTS SCHOOL COMMI'iTEE NEW BUSINESS OTHER Motion to adiourn: Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge, called for a motion to adjourn the School Committee Meeting of October 2, 2012 at 10:14 PM for the sole purpose of adjourning. A Motion was made to close the meeting by Mr. Wayne Smith, rd by Mrs. Jean Miller, A Roll call vote to close: Mr. Michael Trowbridge, yes; Mrs. Jean Miller, yes; Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, yes; Mrs. Kiera O'Neil, yes; and Mr. Wayne Smith, Jr. Motion U.C. 5-0 Respectrtlly submitted, Mary O. Jackson Secretary to the Superintendent & School Committee -6-